5 Canadian Hockey Pros Face Trial For 2018 Sexual Assault Charges

The Canadian police publically apologised to an alleged sexual assault survivor for not finding evidence sooner. The woman was allegedly assaulted in 2018 by five professional ice hockey players, who were then in the junior team and were found guilty this week. The Canadian National Hockey League's Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton, who plays in Europe, were charged in this case. McLeod is facing an additional charge of sexual assault for “being a party to the offence”. 

According to The Guardian, the lawsuit was filed by a woman who alleges she was assaulted in a hotel room in June 2018, by some members of the Canadian junior team after a gala celebrating their world championship gold medal. The case was closed by the police, citing "insufficient grounds" until it was reopened in 2022, following public outrage. 

What We Know About The Case

On Monday, the police in London (Canada) apologised for the six-year delay in finding evidence that proves the five ice hockey players guilty. Police Chief Thai Truong said, “I want to extend, on behalf of the London police service, my sincerest apology to the [alleged] victim, to her family, for the amount of time that it has taken to reach this point. As a police officer working in this space for many, many years I can tell you that this is a difficult, difficult situation for all victims [and] survivors of sexual violence.”

Chief Truong said it was “completely inappropriate” that the case was delayed over the fear of "jeopardizing" the athletes' images. He added that the new evidence and information collected since the case was reopened led to the charges. None of the athletes have entered a plea since they are expected to appear in court. However, their attorneys had previously denied the claims. The athletes are due to appear back in Court on April 30.

The National Hockey League (NHL) and Hockey Canada have also launched separate investigations into the woman's allegations. The alleged survivor has also filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said the North American country's ice hockey governing body had “lost the confidence” of the country.